Topeka, Kansas - some petitions to overthrow smoking ban missing..

December 11, 2009 - Topeka, Kansas ban on public smoking indoors and at places of employment went into effect December 4, 2010.

The petition drive, initiated in October by Topekans Against the Ban, seeks to overturn the Topeka City Council's September 29 passage of a clean air ordinance banning smoking in most public places. Petition drive organizers must acquire 5,744 valid signatures of registered Topeka voters within 180 days of the date of the first signature on the petition to force the council to either overturn the ordinance or give the public a vote on whether to overturn it.

Topeka police Capt. Jerry Stanley said Thursday, December 10th that Gail Trembley, an organizer of the drive, filed a police report Wednesday indicating petitions were missing from several businesses. Stanley said it wasn't clear how many petitions were gone. Trembley said Thursday petition organizers wouldn't pursue theft charges if whoever took the signed petitions returns them.

Reference: Smoking ban petitions missingcjonline.com - The Topeka Capital Journal, 12/11/2009.

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